Yongmei Hu, pianist in Review

Yongmei Hu, pianist in Review
Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, New York, NY
May 22, 2011
 

Yongmei Hu

 

Leafing through the biographical notes of Yongmei Hu prior to her recent New York recital, I was struck not so much by the requisite litanies of achievements and accolades as by her charitable involvement, ranging from the children’s foundation, Alphabet Kids, to Musicians on Call, which brings music to hospitals (plus fundraisers for children with cancer and a performance with Melissa Etheridge at the Breast Cancer Symposium in Washington, D.C.).  Despite a policy of ignoring things extra-musical or prejudicial while reviewing, it was hard not to appreciate the generous spirit in evidence here to match what turned out to be a lovely stage presence. The program listing of two of the finest works in the piano literature, Brahms’s Sonata, Op. 5, in F minor and Chopin’s Preludes, Op. 28, seemed to promise a perfect afternoon, but of course they present colossal challenges as well. In some ways Ms. Hu rose to those challenges, while in others, there was clearly room for growth.

One had to credit Ms. Hu for bravery in choosing to tackle the Brahms F minor Sonata, as the unwieldy stretches throughout did not seem ideally suited to her pianistic abilities. Some pianists overcome such challenges by taking a bit of extra time for reaching, something that even can enhance Brahmsian grandeur, but Ms. Hu tended to do the opposite, as if to get past these challenges quickly (the omission of the first movement repeat underscoring this haste). The result was more messiness than one is accustomed to hearing. Sometimes haste can start a cycle of distraction as well in the performer himself, and this distraction appeared to rattle even the much-loved Andante espressivo; one of the heavenly moments in piano writing is the gentle settling into D-flat major, but the pianist seemed to be anticipating a later section as she opened with a B-flat bass note. The presence of mind she showed was admirable, even playing another incorrect B-flat presumably to balance things out, but clearly something was amiss. While I am extremely lenient about missed notes in the “no holds barred” performance, there are certain errors that reflect more than an off day, suggesting possibly that one has not internalized a work sufficiently deeply or thoroughly. Some later hallowed passages did much to redeem this performance, but the rushing and lapses seemed inevitably to return, unfortunately marring even the last dozen or so bars. Perhaps some of the unsettled feeling may have stemmed from a virtual stampede of latecomers entering after the first movement, leaving Ms. Hu waiting at the keyboard interminably to start the second movement, but in any case one imagined the Chopin Preludes on the second half would enjoy a fresh start.

Much of the Chopin did indeed fare better. The C Major Prelude had a sure-fingered brightness, followed by good momentum in the A minor, albeit at the expense of some pathos. The left hand passagework of the G Major Prelude was a model of fleet and feathery lightness, though one wanted perhaps more singing quality in the right hand. The E minor Prelude was also one of the high points of the set; its tone, balance, and character projection were just right. The spirit in it carried through to some of the other preludes, much of the B minor (No. 6), E Major (No. 9), B Major (No. 11), D-flat Major (No. 15, “Raindrop”), and A-flat Major (No. 17). Low points, due to messiness or lack of thoroughness included the usual suspects, the g-sharp minor, which emerged as a series of downbeats in a hazy flurry and the fiendish B-flat minor, which simply went off the rails, as did the deceptively difficult E-flat Major. All could have prospered from being taken just a bit more slowly. Other reservations included a need for more phrase punctuation in the rather operatic F minor Prelude, plus some curious readings throughout; all finished well, however, with a solid and convincing ending to the final Prelude in D minor. Especially brilliant were the tricky chromatic thirds in which I’ve heard some very famous pianists struggle. Such fine moments led one to feel that, on a different day and given sufficient time to know each work more thoroughly, Ms. Hu would have a recital program to make musicians sit up and take notice.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Lori Sims, Pianist in Review

Lori Sims, Pianist in Review
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall; New York, NY
May 7, 2011
 

Lori Sims

 

Pianist William Masselos (1920-1992) was honored in a most special way this past weekend, in a tribute piano recital by Lori Sims, presented by the organization Hausmusik. Widely recognized not only as a great pianist in diverse repertoire but as a particularly important champion of twentieth-century American piano music, Mr. Masselos is also fondly remembered by those of us who were at Juilliard during his tenure there as something of an unsung hero — despite his countless enviable achievements. One applauds Hausmusik for paying tribute and also for choosing Lori Sims, a pianist of prodigious abilities, to do so.

Each work on the program related in some way to William Masselos, at times in exact repertoire matches, notably Ben Weber’s Fantasia (Variations), and at other times through subtler connections, well-explained in the pianist’s thoughtful program notes. Rather than playing the “six degrees of separation” game, I prefer to focus on Ms. Sims, whose own personal connections to each work were evident from the first notes onward, and whose masterful readings obviated the need for any extraneous “raison d’etre.”

First off, Ms. Sims gave an extremely taut, precise, and intelligent performance of Copland’s Piano Variations. With an energy that suggested she was spring-loaded, she brought the work electricity and clarity. Nerves of steel are to be expected from a pianist who has won major competitions, including the Gina Bachauer 1998 Gold Medal, but hers are exceptional, unruffled even by the blaring of loud vocal music from some unknown source during her first entrance onstage. The intensity never let up, and Ben Weber’s Fantasia was another tour de force, this time exploiting the pianist’s gift for more romantic, lush sonorities.  What Ms. Sims likened to “Scriabin’s neurotic energy” seemed to abound, and one could only be astounded that after this Weber and the Copland, there were still three Griffes “Roman Sketches” and Barber’s monumental Piano Sonata yet to come (to complete an hour-long “first half”).

The Griffes pieces did provide some impressionistic relief from the musical tension, but only for the audience, as the pianistic demands simply shifted to a different kind of artistry. “The White Peacock” requires a special languid sensuality, and Ms. Sims brought it out to a tee. “The Fountain of Acqua Paola” needs streaming showers of delicacy, expertly colored, and it had just that. “Clouds” had no less mesmerizing an effect.

The Barber Sonata, showing not a trace of fatigue, was sure-fire. While it may not have been this listener’s all-time favorite performance of the work, it was an amazingly polished, assertive close to a first half of mammoth difficulty. Perhaps if one had to pinpoint a reservation about it, it would be that Ms. Sims has such a formidable technique that she made short work of some of its heroic climaxes. In the fourth movement Fugue especially, my favorite performances let loose with an almost ferocious abandon toward the close. Ms. Sims could perhaps be called “unostentatious” (as the honoree, Mr. Masselos, was described by Harold Schonberg), but one wanted to share in the sense of triumph and release that she had so richly earned.

The program’s second part was made up of Clara Schumann’s Romances, Op. 11, Nos. 1 and 3, and Robert Schumann’s Fantasy, Op. 17. These works showed great sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and fervor, and there were many moments of nearly transcendent beauty. Somehow, though, the truly indelible impression was made on this listener by the twentieth-century works. Ms. Sims showed that she has a rare gift for bringing audiences closer to these works, and it is a gift that should continue taking her to new musical heights.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Continuum in Review

Continuum
Merkin Concert Hall, New York, NY
May 1, 2011
 

Top: Elliott Schwartz, Ileana Perez Velázquez, Carman Moore; Bottom: Ursula Mamlok, Roberto Sierra, Wang Jie

 

You can be fairly sure you are at a Continuum concert when the “earliest” music on the program dates from 1998, when everything else is a New York or World Premiere, and when you hear music differently for at least several days afterward. Such was the case recently at Continuum’s 45th birthday concert. They continue, as they have indefatigably for decades, to bring us fascinating music by relative newcomers and composers of international stature.

U.S. composer Carman Moore (b. 1936) was featured first, in a work entitled “SHE”  (An Appreciation – 2010) scored for an ensemble of four, including soprano, violin, clarinet, and piano. Organized according to what the composer describes as “the five archetypes of female life,” (from infancy through old age), this imaginative and involving work weaves quotes of Lord Byron, Lucretius, Sun Bu-Er, and Basho into the composer’s original text, a paean to women. An intriguing conception, its was brought to life appropriately by the four extremely gifted female performers.

Veteran Continuum violinist Renée Jolles shone next in a virtuoso performance of Sonata para violin y piano (2010) by Roberto Sierra (b. 1953). A tour de force requiring sensitive dovetailing with the pianist, precision in what Sierra calls “my own versions and transformations of Caribbean rhythms,” and tireless technique for just about every violin challenge in the book, it was handled with an ease that was impressive, especially considering that Ms. Jolles was engaged onstage for all of the roughly seventy minutes before intermission.

Using the same instrumentation as “SHE,” Continuum concluded its first half with “A Longing for Spring, A Multi-language Song Cycle” (2011) by Shanghai-born Wang Jie (b. 1980). Set to a Tang Dynasty poem by Tu Fu (712-770 AD) the work’s evocations of nature, war, torment, and tears were enhanced by super-titles and calligraphy projected onto a screen. There were so many ways to appreciate this composition, through sight, sound, and meaning, that interest never lapsed. One could not possibly grasp it all in a single hearing, but Ms. Wang’s multi-faceted work will undoubtedly earn future performances. She is certainly an artist to watch.

Some of my favorite music of the evening was in the opening of “Idolos del sueño”  (“Dream Eidolons” – 2010) by Cuban-born Ileana Perez Velázquez (b. 1964). Soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano conveyed the transparency of water and ephemeral reflections in an almost miraculous way, drawing the mesmerized listener into the world of Cuban poet Carlos Pintado. Not all of the work held me quite as strongly as the beginning, but I do look forward to hearing more by this talented composer.

Continuum paid tribute next to the 75th birthday of Elliott Schwartz (b. 1936) with a performance of his “Vienna Dreams” (1998), an appealingly nostalgic trio for clarinet, viola, and piano using fragments of Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms (and as the notes suggested, the presence of Mahler and Schoenberg hovering nearby). It was given a winning performance, as was the finale of the concert Mosaics (2011) by Ursula Mamlok (b. 1923). Mosaics, a four-hand piano work composed with a particularly artistic use of serialism, combined the forces of the ensembles founders, Joel Sachs and Cheryl Seltzer, in a fitting close to a celebration of 45 great years.

All works benefited from excellent performances of Mary Elizabeth Mackenzie, soprano; Moran Katz, clarinet; Renée Jolles, violin; Stephanie Griffin, viola; Christopher Gross, cello; Joel Sachs, piano; and Cheryl Seltzer, piano.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Alexander Beridze, pianist in Review

Alexander Beridze, pianist in Review
Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, New York, NY
April 19, 2011
 

A large audience packed Alice Tully Hall this week to hear Georgian pianist, Alexander Beridze, representing the Cincinnati-based World Piano Competition as its 2009 Gold Medalist. In a year flooded with news stories about troubles in the classical music world, it was a joy to witness such intense audience excitement in anticipation of an evening of piano music. This listener was filled with particularly keen anticipation after hearing and reviewing Mr. Beridze in June of 2009 (Vol 17, No.1) in an outstanding recital that included two of the same works, the Brahms Sonata in C Major, Op. 1 and Stravinsky’s Three Movements from Petrushka. Though the prior venue had been a piano showroom, Mr. Beridze had sustained the large, magnetic conceptions that had seemed destined for a wider forum – and here was that forum.

After speeches by the competition’s administrative and local leaders, Mr. Beridze opened with Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C Minor, dispelling the atmosphere of pageantry with a taut and no-nonsense performance from solemn opening to stirring finish. While I prefer more breathing room in this work, it was understandable to feel a good deal of forward propulsion at the outset of this important recital. It was a strong opening.

Brahms followed Beethoven, a nice segue given the Opus 1’s famous rhythmic kinship with Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 106 (the “Hammerklavier”). Mr. Beridze is utterly at home with the challenges and beauties of this Brahms work and should play it often. One hopes he will play it again in a still more resonant hall, as (even post-renovation) the Alice Tully Hall acoustics present a pianist with the challenge of rapidly decaying sound. Having heard Mr. Beridze’s formidable gifts in a live room on a brighter instrument, this listener was especially sensitized to the discrepancy between what was being put forth and what was being received. That said, the musical intent did come across, and it was a credit to Mr. Beridze’s skill and heroic outputs of energy. The rapid-fire leaps and riveting machine wrist work left one in wonderment (and excitement to hear this pianist’s Petrushka later in the program). Just as recalled from two years ago, the close of the Andante was particularly moving.

Schubert’s Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 after intermission was a quiet gem, given admirable attention to voicing. Acoustical challenges still arose, leaving one wondering whether the decay of longer notes might be offset more by softer ensuing ones, but at any rate, Mr. Beridze projected its meditative quality with sensitivity. The Schubert-Liszt song “Auf dem Wasser zu Singen” followed, dazzling with its precision and range, and Liszt’s Etude “La Campanella” was simply electrifying.

If anyone still had questions about Mr. Beridze being a fabulous pianist, his Petrushka settled the matter conclusively. This work, a monstrous beast to most pianists, seemed simply a play toy to him, albeit a musical and imaginative play toy. One sensed the pianist having fun with it, delighting in the ballet’s characters and celebrating what was a brilliant finale to a superb recital. Bravo!

The cheering audience was quieted down with one of the most beautiful renditions of the Chopin Nocturne in D-flat (Op. 27, No. 2) that one can recall. One could hear the proverbial pin drop.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Katarzyna Musial, Pianist in Review

Katarzyna Musial, Pianist in Review
The Kosciuszko Foundation; New York, NY
April 3, 2011
Katarzyna Musial

Katarzyna Musial

Under the auspices of the Kosciuszko Foundation, Polish-Canadian pianist Katarzyna Musial gave a colorful and varied Sunday afternoon program that included Messiaen, Chopin, Lutoslawski, and Mussorgsky. Possessing a lovely stage presence , Ms. Musial also chose well for her opening works: two Messiaen Preludes, “La colombe” and “Un reflet dans le vent.” The pianist entered with fluency and ease into the ethereal harmonic colors of the French master, and although she encountered a somewhat bright and inconsistent instrument—in a hall with bright acoustics to boot—she achieved  good results.  The second Prelude was shimmering and brilliant; I would love to hear Ms. Musial perform all the Messiaen Preludes, as she has a natural affinity for this music.

The next selections by her fellow Polish musician Lutoslawski were equally impressive. Bukoliki, five folk-inspired pieces totaling about five minutes, are in a similar vein to some of Bartok’s miniatures and are sometimes treated condescendingly as folk trifles. What I liked about Ms. Musial’s interpretations, though, was that she plumbed the Bukoliki’s emotional depths, imbuing them with warmth. It is good to remind listeners that small pieces can carry large emotions and she did just that.

The Chopin Sonata that followed, Op. 35 in B-flat minor, was a bit disappointing after such a promising beginning. It is difficult to plunge into what is nicknamed the “Funeral March Sonata” (for obvious reasons) on one of the first beautiful spring days of the year. Perhaps concentration was a challenge, but there seemed a lack of involvement, a somewhat lackluster approach to the stunning drama of the work, plus there was a memory lapse or two that must have rattled Ms. Musial further. It also may not have helped that the piano in the Kosciuszko Foundation auditorium is quite different from register to register. The left hand seemed to overwhelm the right and some of the transcendent treble lines were not sustained with the necessary cantabile sound. One knows that Ms. Musial can sustain emotional interest in singing lines, as she had shown in some of the slower parts of Lutoslawski and Messiaen, but one hoped for more in the Chopin. The last movement, likened to “wind over the graveyard”, resembled a heavily pedaled etude, needing more of the atmosphere that the Messiaen had.

If one started wondering whether Ms. Musial’s strongest niche might be in the more programmatic, impressionistic, or coloristic repertoire such as her Messiaen, her second half of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” reinforced that idea. The movement from “Il Vecchio Castello” was wonderfully evocative; “Tuileries” was vividly detailed; and “Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks” was a pure delight, fleet-fingered and energetic. The Promenade sections were in general solid and, with the exception of some messiness in “The Hut on Fowl’s Legs” by Baba-Yagá, the work was a good close to what was all in all a fine and promising recital.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Quentin Kim in Review

Quentin Kim in Review
Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
April 1, 2011

Virtuoso pianists who perform their own works are part of a time-honored tradition, and in this bicentennial year of Liszt (not long after anniversaries of Schumann and Chopin) we are reminded of this fact. Among the new generation in this category, Quentin Kim (b. 1976) is undoubtedly among the standouts. A recital of works by Beethoven, Schumann, and Mr. Kim himself was a memorable and inspiring occasion. In reading Mr. Kim’s program notes, I was struck by his boldness in describing his own musical views in such a way that many colleagues might easily be offended. Starting with a quote by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, currently Pope Benedict XVI, describing “modern so-called ‘classical’ music” as becoming “an elitist ghetto”, Mr. Kim ended his notes with a paean to “beautiful forms, beautiful sounds, beautiful colours” as a connection to Alfred Douglas’ “Supreme Beauty”. One needn’t agree with Mr. Kim’s philosophy to sense how he expresses in words a passion that translates into communicative compositions and committed performances of all that he plays. Whether or not one can embrace the 19th century-inspired tonal and stylistic aesthetic that permeates Mr. Kim’s own Sonata in G-sharp Minor—which bears strong kinship to Schumann—his sincerity is palpable. Amid the obfuscation one often finds in descriptions of new works (and sometimes in the works themselves), Mr. Kim’s writing, like his playing, is refreshingly direct. The listener was invited into the music every step of the way.

Along with elements of Schumann (inevitable, perhaps, for a pianist who has been so immersed in that composer), Mr. Kim’s Sonata showed hints of Scriabin, underscored by some colorful titles of movements such as “Resigning Sun” and “Shooting Star.” One expects that a thoughtful musician such as Mr. Kim will be led by his own words and excellent imagination into an even wider harmonic and textural range over time.

If it can be said that Mr. Kim composes like a pianist, it is certain that he performs like a composer—one with unusually fine pianistic gifts.  His complete grasp of the inner workings made the opening half, Schumann’s Sonata, Op. 11 in F-sharp minor, a marvel of shape, phrasing, and articulation, each harmonic nuance being expressed as if he himself had composed the work. Matching the intellectual, emotional, and digital range was a stunning conception of sound, especially in the slow movement, but also evident in the fourth. If the Aria had had a tone any headier or more sensuous, it would need to be treated as a controlled substance. Strangely this work has never been one of my favorites of Schumann’s, but I’ll need to rethink it. In this performance, it sounded completely new, modern in the best sense of the word, as if freshly created.

Closing the program was Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 57, in F minor (“Appassionata”). It was an excellent performance as well, though I’m perhaps partial to greater abandon in it and a bit more fullness of sound at times. After the rest of the demanding program, however, it was a feat for Mr. Kim to convey so much power.

The audience expressed their thanks and awe with an enthusiastic ovation, and was rewarded with a quiet encore of Bach’s beautiful Largo (Arioso) from BWV 1056. I will definitely look forward to hearing Mr. Kim again in both his compositions and performances.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Joanne Chang, Pianist in Review

Joanne Chang, Pianist in Review
Sally Shorrock, flute and Tienni Chen, piano
Multicultural Asian and Italian Concert Series
Tenri Cultural Institute of New York; New York, NY
March 12, 2011

Joanne Chang

While all eyes were on the news of the earthquake in Japan last weekend, it was a particularly meaningful experience to visit the Japanese Tenri Cultural Institute of New York, where, along with an art exhibit (Jinwon Chang’s “Releasing the Wounded Soul”), there was a concert by excellent Taiwanese pianist, Joanne Chang. Thanks to a Diversity Grant from the City University of New York, Ms. Chang performed a mostly modern recital centering on Asian (especially Taiwanese) and Italian compositions, both as soloist and in collaboration with musical colleagues. While the musical reasoning behind the Italian-Taiwanese theme remains a bit of a mystery (aside from certain elements common throughout the world’s music), it was a program one would be hard pressed to find elsewhere, delivered with interesting spoken introductions and plenty of polish.

Ms. Chang opened with “Lantern Festival” from “Taiwan Suite” by Shui-Long Ma (b. 1939), a work closely tied to the folk bases of much Chinese music. Alternately celebratory and dreamy with glissandi and sparkling pianism, it brought the listener into the world of Taiwanese music in a most accessible way. Representing a younger generation of composers, Hsin-Jung Tsai (b. 1970) next introduced the world premiere of her own composition, “Precipitation.” Preceding the music was a short film about Chinese art, which I could barely see behind a giant paper globe that was hung as part of the art installation. Despite this frustration, and that of not being able to fully understand the very quiet verbal introduction, one could appreciate the many interesting evocations of water in the music (as the title suggests). One was tempted to liken this and some of the other Asian works to Debussy and other Impressionists, but it might be putting the cart before the horse, given the influence of Asian music on Debussy and his followers; suffice it to say that this work was sensitively colored in the manner of the Impressionists, and that thanks to the skills and imagination of the pianist, it captured its listeners.

“Due Canzoni Popolari Italiane” by Alfredo Cascella (1883-1947) brought the program to its Italian component in lyrical and expressive melodies, followed by the younger representative of Italy, Davide Zannoni (b. 1958) whose work “Flexible Desires” was given its world premiere. The piece focuses on the interaction and struggle between tonal centers and chromaticism, along with other corresponding dualities. Some warmly romantic harmonies resulted from this interaction (at times surprisingly reminiscent of Piazzolla), and the pianist expertly brought out the contrasts and cohesiveness.

In something of an anomaly, Lowell Liebermann’s Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23 came next. Though the highly admired composer, Liebermann, is neither Italian nor Taiwanese, his Flute Sonata seems to have gained honorary citizenship on this themed program and was welcome in a brilliant performance by Sally Shorrock with Ms. Chang.

“Chinese Festival” by Young Chen (b. 1954) arranged by Lina Yeh (b. 1955) showed an eclectic style combining the Mozartean (in Alberti basses), the Schubertian (in some of its harmonies), some Gershwinesque touches, and more, all with the melodies and spirit of a Chinese celebration. Ms. Chang navigated the range of styles effortlessly, with the help of Tienni Chen playing Secondo. The pair concluded with the N.Y. premiere of “Encore Oublie” a short, jazzy spirited romp by Rolf-Peter Wille (b. 1954), currently living in Taiwan. The pianists made the most of some antics here (popping up and down from the piano bench), much to the amusement of the audience. All in all, it was an intriguing sampling, and Ms. Chang is to be congratulated for devoting her considerable gifts to this interesting endeavor.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Camerata Ireland in Review

Camerata Ireland in Review
Barry Douglas, music director and piano
Celine Byrne, soprano
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 5, 2011
 

Camerata Ireland

Every now and then, amid the hectic New York concert season, there is an evening that reminds me how much I love my reviewing job; the chamber orchestra Camerata Ireland, on a US tour through March, provided just such an occasion last weekend in a perfectly magical concert that coupled Irish music with works by Mozart (a surprisingly winning combination). At the center of it all was pianist, arranger, and conductor, Barry Douglas, a musical titan whose energy is transmitted in life-affirming performances.

In a rather unassuming opening, Mr. Douglas and the orchestra played his own arrangements of two Nocturnes of John Field (1782-1837), Nos. 1 and 5, originally for solo piano. The orchestrations were tasteful and spare. Though my preference is still for the more intimate originals, it was a natural to give the orchestra some music of Field, as he was one of the first important composers from Ireland, welcomed in Russia for decades with perhaps the same fervor as was Barry Douglas himself as victor in the 1986 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. It would be interesting to hear Mr. Douglas with the Camerata Ireland in one of Field’s Piano Concerti (or even just a movement, say, the Larghetto of the Sixth Concerto).

Rising star Celine Byrne joined the orchestra to sing “Porgi Amor” from Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.”  Composed when John Field would have been around four years old, it enjoyed a fresh hearing from this listener, because of both the fascinating program sequence and Ms. Byrne’s excellent performance. Her full, pure sound and lovely presence will make her one to follow.

Mr. Douglas moved from the role of operatic conductor to that of piano soloist (conducting from the bench) in Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 488 (also composed in 1786). One of the best pianists I’ve seen in this dual role, Douglas drew perfect responsiveness from his orchestra. One marveled in the first movement at how clearly he projected his conception physically and musically so that there were no seams in the ensemble; one marveled perhaps more, though, at how he could create (while multi-tasking) a realm of utter introspection in the breathtaking Adagio. The final movement had just the right edge-of-the seat energy to leave the audience clamoring for more.

After intermission came two traditional Irish folk songs (again arranged by Mr. Douglas), “I Wish I Was in Carrickfergus” and “Last Rose of Summer” sung by soprano Celine Byrne (who had changed from a black dress into a brilliant emerald green). These were skillfully arranged and expressively sung, but the best Douglas arrangements of the evening were “Druid Dances” by Edward Bunting (1773-1843). Perhaps not having to incorporate piano filigree or to accommodate a vocal part was liberating, but whatever the case, Douglas arranged this set with unfettered orchestral imagination, alternating sentimental song with freewheeling fun.

Returning to Mozart (who shared a good 18 years on this earth with Bunting) the orchestra then gave a knockout performance of the Symphony No. 40 in G Minor to close the evening. Starting the work more briskly than one usually hears it (with Douglas barely arriving onstage before the opening upbeat), they gave a performance that was nonetheless well articulated, cohesive, and commanding all the way through to the exciting end. Audience members jumped to their feet in passionate ovation. Some of this reaction may have been to the conductor’s “rock star” charisma, and some of it may have been gratitude for a great performance, but either way, everyone won.

Douglas and the orchestra gave an encore of Phil Coulter’s touching “Home Away from Home,” which I heard last when I reviewed them in March, 2008 (NY Concert Review Volume 15, No. 2). This time was even more beautiful. Can they possibly outdo themselves next time? I for one won’t miss finding out.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Dan Franklin Smith, piano: “La Vida Iberiana” in Review

Dan Franklin Smith, piano: “La Vida Iberiana” in Review
Musica de Camara
St. Cecilia’s Church, New York, NY
February 18, 2011
 

Dan Franklin Smith

Just less than a year ago, I had the pleasure of giving a rave review to Dan Franklin Smith in a recital of works by living composers. Though that first hearing set the bar very high, I was delighted, in his recent program entitled “La Vida Iberiana,” to find that my enthusiasm for his artistry has not waned.

Mr. Smith embarked on his musical tour appropriately with Turina’s “Sanlúcar de Barrameda,” named for the port in Spain from which explorers Columbus and Magellan set sail. The “Sonata Pintoresca” as it is subtitled, was resplendent with the colors and imagery of Spain (as suggested by titles of its four contrasting movements) and was played with virtuosity and sensitivity. Improvisational transitions that can sometimes sound vapid possessed life and inevitability, while trills that can easily sound meretricious were gripping and heartfelt. Mr. Smith strikes one as the kind of player whose integrity could probably ennoble even the most maligned and cliché-ridden works; in a world where Ravel is used for commercials and Liszt is played by cartoon characters, such playing is a much-needed antidote.

It is always a joy to see the still-underappreciated Mompou on a program, and Mr. Smith’s Cancion y Danza No. 6 that followed was no exception. I would have liked its phrases wrung a bit more of their inherent pathos, but that is perhaps a tall order after the exhausting and exhaustive Turina. It could also be that the piano was not cooperating (an Otto Altenburg in a highly reverberant church), but in any case, there was room for more dynamic nuance.

To close the first portion of the program was Infante’s “El Vito Variations”, which had some audience members humming with happy recognition. Though I confess I’ve always thought of the piece as unlikable kitsch (and yes, there’s some kitsch I like), Mr. Smith’s expert treatment came close to redeeming it for me.

“La Maja y el Ruisenor” (“The Maiden and the Nightingale”) by Granados (from Goyescas) opened after intermission. Once again, the piano did not seem ideally suited to the piece, but the pianist handled the tinnier treble lines with grace.  Following the Granados came Surinach’s Cancion y Danza, No. 1, a nice but contrasting tie-in to Mompou’s work of the same title.

Representing Portugal, Vianna da Motta’s delightfully pianistic “Chula do Douro” (from Scenas Portuguesas, Op. 15) gave another perspective on “La Vida Iberiana,” albeit filtered through Lisztian ears. Mr. Smith played it with élan, setting a good backdrop for the plaintive opening of “Alma Brasileira” (Choros #5) by Brazilian, Villa-Lobos, played with a wonderful coloristic sense and plenty of atmosphere. Iberian influence on the New World entered the program here.

“Sin Rumbo” (subtitled Vuelvo al Sur or “Return to the South”) was a welcome taste of the ever-popular Piazzolla, and Santa Maria (#1 from Plenas) by Hector Campos-Parsi brought the musical tour to the infectious rhythms of Puerto Rico, energetically projected. The recital closed with André Previn’s “Three South American Sketches” (Festivo, Flor de Jardim, Mina d’Agua), played with the same brilliance and panache that I recall hearing when Smith played them last May, though now in a fresh context.

An enthusiastic audience received an encore of the famous Albeniz Tango in D (though the only word of the announcement we could make out was “Falla” so we were quite surprised – a hazard of not using a microphone perhaps).

All in all, it was another success for Mr. Smith, and also for Eve de la O, who has been dedicated to this music series, Musica de Camara, for 31 years.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Seunghee Lee in Review

Seunghee Lee, piano
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y.
December 1, 2010

Many pianists enjoy describing their programs and repertoires as “eclectic” lately, and, though the word is a bit overused, a recent recital program by pianist Seunghee Lee deserves that description. In a highly interesting mix of Heitor Villa-Lobos, Robert Muczynski, Francis Poulenc, Frédéric Chopin, Edvard Grieg, and Enrique Granados, Ms. Lee’s recital had something for almost everyone (though perhaps not for those hoping for a heaping helping of the “three B’s” – Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms). What I found particularly interesting was that this pianist seemed to have an equal affinity for each composer in this unusual assemblage. Ms. Lee, who has studied and performed widely and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky, has widely ranging interests and the ability to share them — a valuable combination.

Starting off with Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 (“Preludio”) by Villa-Lobos, Ms. Lee established a thoughtful tone.  Though, as mentioned before, this recital offered none of the “three B’s,” the presence of the first “B” – Bach – was definitely felt here. Ms. Lee demonstrated beautiful tonal control from its rather stately opening. Occasionally high registers sounded a bit strident, perhaps from want of bass support via more pedal (as Ms. Lee was quite sparing in her use of pedal through much of the evening), but all in all it was a successful opening.

In a change of style, time, and continent, the program then moved to a work by U.S. composer Robert Muczynski (1929-2010) entitled “Desperate Measures” (Paganini Variations) Op. 48.  Based on the famous 24th Caprice of Paganini (the one which inspired Liszt, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and others), this roughly eight-minute set (written in 1995) shows at times a striking kinship with the Paganini Variations of Witold Lutoslawski (for two pianos, written in 1941), though Muczynski’s work breaks out in far more jazzy directions. Ms. Lee brought out its brilliance, rhythmic energy, and at times, lyricism, though emphasizing the acerbic dissonant qualities more than I’ve heard or would like.

Chopin’s Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47, followed with a refreshingly gentle opening, though it was overall the least successful work on the program. Little raggedy edges are conspicuous in such an unforgiving piece as this, and there were passages that seemed glossed over, where loud peaks were reached from thin beginnings with no tonal middle ground in between. Also, some inner voices that most Chopin fans know and love were boldly announced at their beginnings, but not followed through to their natural conclusions.

In Poulenc’s Trois Pièces, Ms. Lee seemed much more in her element, reveling in the dreamy, brooding Pastorale, the bold Hymne, and the light and precise Toccata. Her palette of colors was just right for these works. I couldn’t help thinking it would be interesting to hear her play Ravel’s Toccata (or perhaps Scarbo), and a number of works of Debussy.

Shifting after intermission to Grieg, Ms. Lee played the “Rotnams-Knut, Halling”  (No. 7 from Peasant Dances, Op. 72), the Scherzo-Impromptu No. 2 from Stimmungen, Op. 73, and the Ballade, Op. 24. These works enjoyed a loving advocacy in this pianist’s hands. The Ballade (despite accuracy issues towards the craggy end) had many fine moments, prospering by Ms. Lee’s patient lyricism through its doleful and funereal sections.

The Allegro de Concierto, Op. 46, by Granados ended the evening on a positive note, concluding what was a rewarding evening of music. An appreciative audience received an encore that sounded somewhat like a new age improvisation on a hymn, though (as sometimes happens) it was impossible to hear the announcement.

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by Rorianne Schrade  for New York Concert Review; New York, NY